Father and Child: Imagination (Inspired by Gwen Harwood) Zak Jacobsen, Year 10 As the sun rose, he leapt, From the safe place that kindles dreams His sanctuary in which he slept Struck by a sunlight beam To what possibilities could his day present, Fly a rocket to the moon or the sun Sail the seas until the heart’s content By whom could he be outdone? His rival, lowered his paper shield And handed over his sword Today he had decided to yield A knight unfit to fight for his lord He frisked toward his room And accoutred his armour He trimmed his helmet’s plume And said goodbye to his father Grabbing his bag he boarded the spaceship “Lift off!” They travelled through a whirlpool Of galaxies, then touched down on the airstrip Just in time for school At lunch children frolicked in the playground Of castles and wooden bridges, suspended Above lava, but only to be let down By the siren, signalling that lunch time had ended As the day came to an end He returned on his ship And unequipped his armour, Longing only for companionship On his window sill perched an owl Captivating eyes that can stare right through you Entered his father shooing the bird with a growl “Why can’t I fly too?” “Don’t be daft boy Enough of this pretend It’s time you grow up It really does have to end He sat and stared blankly The sunset reflected in his eye His imagination burning out Like the sun